New Book Claims Pelosi Planned To Retire Until Trump Won In 2016

A new book claims Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi planned to retire in 2016 but changed her plans after former President Donald Trump won the presidential election, USA Today reported.

In Susan Page’s new book, “Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power”, the author claims that Pelosi planned on retiring after thirty years in Congress but Trump’s victory encouraged her to remain in politics, according to USA Today. The book consists of 150 interviews, including ten with Pelosi and others with colleagues, family members and political opponents, according to The Hill.

“The election of Donald Trump was stunningly scary, and it was justified to be scared,” Pelosi said in an interview, USA Today reported. “How could they elect such a person-who talked that way about women, who was so crude and…to me, creepy.”

Pelosi planned to retire at the end of 2016 in order to spend time with her family and write memoirs, according to Page’s book, USA Today reported.

“After three decades as a congresswoman from California, nearly half of that time as the leader of the House Democrats, Pelosi said she was getting ready to take a breath, dote on her nine grandchildren, perhaps write her memoirs,” Page wrote, USA Today reported.

Pelosi described the physical pain she endured after Trump won the election to Page, according to USA Today.

“[The pain] was physical; it was actually physical. Like a mule kicking you in the back over and over again.”

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Page’s book says that after the election Pelosi was devastated by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s defeat and spoke with her on the phone after the defeat, according to USA Today.

“It was a somber and sad conversation,” Clinton told Page regarding the call with Pelosi, “because it wasn’t what either of us expected.”

Pelosi had a cordial conversation with Trump after his victory against Clinton, according to USA Today. Trump told Pelosi he had been a supporter of hers before becoming Republican.

“We’ll get some good things done,” Trump told Pelosi on the phone call, USA Today reported. “Don’t forget, I was a supporter of yours. I think you’re terrific.”

Pelosi and the former president became prominent rivals throughout the Trump administration. She led two impeachment proceedings against Trump and tore up his speech at the 2020 State of the Union address.